When Elementary was first announced, I was leery of it. Everybody and his cousin seemed to be Sherlocking on multiple continents, and I was certain that the female Watson was a way of dodging the slashy undertones of other recent Sherlock incarnations.

We started watching the show near the end of the first or second season, and I was pleasantly surprised to find that the show wasn't playing up any real attraction angle between the two main characters, and also... Lucy Liu is a really awesome Watson. She has a peculiar fashion sense (ankle boots with skirts/dresses does not look good), but the quirkiness of it is very consistent. She is smart, more patient with Sherlock than he really deserves, and gloriously competent. I like the cast very much.

Our son wandered in near the end of one of the episodes, and commented that a black Sherlock was inevitable. THAT, of course, opened the door to one of our favorite activities, "Rolecasting." Given that Sherlock should probably be in his mid-thirties to early 50s, who would make a good Sherlock? Many of the obvious choices (Denzel, Samuel) are too old. Courtney B. Vance came up (we have a soft spot for him). On the way to work today, I realized that the young Andre Braugher would be an excellent choice (heck, the current one too, but for the extra weight). Braugher's work on Homicide showed he has all the stuff to be ultra-smart, intense, and offputting in that especially Sherlockian way. I mean, I watched two seasons of Homicide (a show I did not like) just for Andre Braugher's acting!

I thought of Idris Elba, mostly because I always think of Idris Elba. Good casting choice, or just wishful thinking because of All The Handsomeness? Morris Chestnut is definitely along the lines of the Handsome and the Voice, too. I think either of them could pull it off.

Giancarlo Esposito could pass for 50-ish pretty easily, and would make an excellent Sherlock. Triple-smart, versatile, and capable of darker roles. Not that Sherlock is necessarily "dark," but you have to be willing to be over-the-line obnoxious (insufferable, really) to carry off the character. Esposito would go the distance.

Well, now that I've talked about it, I think the whole thing is overdue! Why isn't someone already making this?